"Swish... swish... swish."
The broom swept across the floor in an unwavering rhythm.
Alex woke up every day at dawn, made breakfast for himself and his family, went for a run, showered, and then started his library guard duty.
His father called it that, but Alex was simply cleaning and organising the place.
This library was known as the Grand Library of the Mountain Mists. It once housed some of the world's most prestigious books and manuscripts. It actually still has them; they just aren't prestigious anymore. Ever since the discovery of Star Ink, people have turned away from knowledge; they've imbued their armor and weapons with this black gold and forgotten about the essence of humanity itself. People used to understand the stars and their message, but now they've enslaved them for their petty quarrels.
Other disciples of the clan were walking by, their boots, headbands, and daggers glowing with Star-mana.
They had grown together with Alex and attended the same classes, but he had always been looked down upon by them.
They laughed as they passed Alex.
"Hey, you missed a spot!" and with the agility of an old man, one of the brutes conjured the wind to blow the leaves Alex had spent thirty minutes sweeping. That mana was weak, but in this world, even the rats mock the ants.
A loud bang was heard the next second; it was the sound of metal clashing, to be more specific, the sound of a metal rod hitting the back of an armored idiot. The boy fell to his knees.
Alex could have guessed who had intervened with his eyes closed.
"C'mon, get up, I didn't even hit you that hard!" shouted Malena proudly as she smiled back at Alex.
"I didn't need your help, Malena." Alex stared back at her, not impressed by her performance.
Eric got up, a vein visible on his forehead, and, with his two lackeys, started conjuring a new element.
Alex recognized it the second he started his movements; they were about to launch a firebolt. The spell was taught to every entry-level disciple, derived from the tales of Arjuna; it was a fifth-rate 'Revised Myth.' It was a flashy spell, but no low-level wielder understood its potential. It was flickering at the dagger's base because Eric's grip was too tight. Not to mention the poor ink quality and the even worse calligraphy.
However, Malena was weak to fire; everyone in the village knew it, and Alex felt this would get ugly. After assessing the situation, he dashed in between them and tried to diffuse the situation.
"Stop, Eric! You're going too far! If you three conjure it together, she might die!" Alex was scared because the last time Malena was hit by one of his spells, she had been bedridden for four days.
"Shut your mouth, you Static!" Eric answered, looking at Alex with anger in his eyes. "If you want me to stop, then fight me like a man! Or will you let your little girlfriend there do all your fighting for you?"
"Leave it to me, Alex, I've learned a thing or two since last time," whispered Malena in his ear right before sprinting straight towards him.
Malena wasn't scared of anything, especially not of other disciples.
Panicked, Eric released the spell. A firebolt sprang out of his dagger. It was fast. Too fast.
Malena barely dodged it, and it was now coming straight at Alex. He wasn't as fast or strong as Malena, but he had always been more resistant to magic. Alex accepted his fate and was already thinking about how he'd treat his wound when the bolt changed its path, hitting the floor and disappearing as quickly as it had appeared. It was Alex's father's doing.
Everyone froze, turning their attention to the library entrance.
"You have ten seconds to leave my property before I have you written up," the Elder said calmly. He didn't specify who he was talking to, but it was clear Eric was the target.
"But Elder Herald, she star..." replied Eric, like a child caught misbehaving. "I will not repeat myself," his voice was soft, but the threat was real.
Eric didn't add a word. He left with his friends and, on the way out, grumbled something Alex couldn't make out.
"You're lucky Uncle Herald was here, I was about to...!" Elder Herald pulled Malena by the ear.
"How many times have I told you to let Alex handle these situations himself? We're going straight to see Celia!" Even the composed Clan Chief Herald faltered with Malena's wit.
After the incident, Alex went back to his daily routine. These kinds of interaction were "normal" between the disciples. Immature people were bound to sort out their differences with violence. Alex didn't have a choice; he didn't have a drop of mana and couldn't conjure basic spells three-year-olds could.
After taking way too long to sweep back the leaves, he dove into the library and started his remaining tasks. "Honey! You've worked enough for today, it's time for dinner!" Those words were like music to his ears.
"Alright, Mom. I just need to reorganize a couple of star rocks, and I'll be over," Alex answered, his mouth already watering thinking about dinner.
"I knew you'd say that, so today we'll all be having a picnic in front of the library," she said, smiling with all her teeth. She wasn't alone; Alex's younger brother, Alfred, his father, and even Malena and her mom were there. Everyone was holding way too much food for this to be a simple dinner.
They sat around the fountain, between the oak trees and the chirping birds. Everyone was laughing. They took a second to talk about Roman, Alex's older brother, who was supposed to visit home in less than three months. He had been sent to the best military schools in the capital.
Malena picked a fight or two over food with Alfred, but it would have been odd if she hadn't. They didn't have much, but they were happy.
As the pleasant evening wore on, the air slowly but surely started to weigh on them. The birds stopped their melody, and it was replaced with the uncanny sound of branches moving under the wind's influence. Two figures appeared at the entrance of the park. Two figures that Alex recognized instantly. Two figures that he despised.
The sound of the cane hitting the ground was carved into their memories. Each time they heard it meant bad news.
His Father glanced at his mother. She asked Alfred to wash the dishes in the river behind the building. He tried to protest because he was play-fighting with Malena, but she insisted and had everyone tag along.
Alex followed the group to the library. His curiosity grew too strong, so he hid behind a tree before coming back to hear what they were discussing with Herald.
"Hello, head of Clan Klutz, what an honor to have you here! Hello, Mr. Xander, I'm happy to welcome you to my library. Is there a book that has piqued your curiosity?" said Alex's father, while slightly bowing down.
"Those stupid children's stories? Cut to the point. You know why I'm here," Xander didn't even let the head of the Clan speak.
Xander was the outpost lord of the Core clan. He'd been in charge of the land for five years and had been terrorising the population. Wherever he went, he disregarded, badmouthed, and straight-up insulted everybody. He wasn't that strong. From what Alex had seen, he was only a fifth-rate Myth, and his mana wasn't fully condensed yet and surely never would be.
Klutz, the clan leader, was also a fifth-rate Myth; his mana was of better quality, and he was a lava type. In a fight, even with Xander's goons, he should have won fairly easily. However, every time he interacted with Xander, he was submissive and said yes to every unreasonable demand.
"There seems to be a misunderstanding." Elder Herald smiled, but Alex could feel the tension rising from where he was. "The rent isn't due until the next full moon; we still have at least three days."
"I decide when you pay the rent. Besides, you're not going to make the cut this time. I saw the report of your auction sale; only one item was sold. I'll be collecting today if that's okay with clan leader Klutz, of course," Xander looked at Klutz while finishing his sentence. They all knew he wasn't actually asking for permission, but Alex hoped that this time, maybe this time, Kluz would stand his ground.
"Of course, it isn't an issue," Klutz looked at his feet, with a pathetic smile, while Alex's Father hawked him down.
"Alright, if Master Klutz agrees, I'll give you your rent today." Alex's father continued looking at Klutz; his eyes didn't show anger, they showed pity. "Let's meet tonight at the main hall. I'll have your money."
The Lord's face closed down; he was holding back his frustration. He wanted a conflict to happen. That's when he smirked; a malevolent idea had spawned in his mind.
"Since I'm being so merciful as to give you until midnight to pay, upraise these rocks for me; if you find a drop of Star Ink, I'll give you until next month for the rent."
He dropped a bag of rocks on the ground and kicked them towards Alex's Father. Even an amateur could tell that those rocks didn't contain any Ink. They were as bland as Klutz's outfit. However, Elder Herald had no choice. If he had refused, Xander would have said he had offended him while showing mercy, which would have sparked a fight.
Elder Herald got down on his knees. Head lowered… reaching for the stale rocks.
Alex couldn't bear to see his own father like this. A man of his wisdom and intellect, reduced to playing with dirt.
His brain began to think of a way to save his Father's honor. He knew he couldn't fight him head-on and came up with a rushed plan.